Exploring

At a train station

You can always find good bars and restaurants in an all manner of places. You must have found a unique place somewhere you weren’t expecting? How about a train station? Immediately erase the thought from your mind of a small station with two short platforms, I’m referring to a major London station in the shape of King’s Cross.

Now, of course, big stations will always have a number of pubs, bars, and restaurants to cater for thousands of commuters but many of these are the same places you find everywhere else. How about a place that is unique, relaxed and makes you think I’ll come here again, even though it’s in a train station. I don’t know anyone who makes a pub or bar in a train station his or her usual watering hole. I was of this mind too until GNH Bar came into my life.

GNH

GNH bar is located to the left of the main entrance area to King’s Cross station. I had been passed it before and always wondered what it was like inside. One Saturday evening I was out with a friend and I suggested we GNH bar because we were going back to King’s Cross anyway.

We entered the bar through a side entrance away from the regularly congregated entrance with people sat outside. We had to walk through a few corridors and an automatic door but there was no one else around. My friend and I turned to each other I said, are we actually walking to the bar or to somewhere else? Our questioning was over when the final set of doors lead into the bar.

Which drink?

We were in the bar around 8.30 and it was largely busy but there were a few spaces for sitting and we sat on a couple of the high stools. 18 signature/classic cocktails are available on the drinks menu. I’ll be honest I can’t remember which one I ordered but it was something red and fruity that was very nice. They also make traditional cocktails like mojitos and martinis that are not on the menu you just have to ask. But GNH bar is not just a place that’s alive at night.

It is open from 7am till late, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and bar snakes. So it is a busy place throughout the day catering for all different needs. Live music also takes place at GNH bar. We were fortunate to see a live performance the evening we were there from Ramzi Sleiman, a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter. This added to the good atmosphere and made the evening more enjoyable. As people left throughout the evening, others continued to enter to fill the empty spaces to keep the bar busy. From the GNH bar website this bar is “London’s new rival to the great railway bars of the world” and I would recommend giving it a try whatever time of the day for a memorable experience.

Asian Food

Asian food has always been a huge pull for me. Maybe this is because of my Filipino background or the smell of freshly cooked spring rolls., who knows. So when a friend suggested going to a pan-Asian restaurant I jumped at the opportunity.

Chi Kitchen is not a restaurant you will find all over London. There are actually only two in the UK, one in London and one in Birmingham. They are both located within a Debenhams store, therefore, giving customers an ample opportunity to discover the good energy created by the interior and food. Chi in Chinese means energy.

Location

The Debenhams flagship store in Oxford Street is where Chi Kitchen is, but it’s not immediately obvious to find in such a big store. It is situated at the back corner of the store on the ground floor. There is an entrance to the restaurant from the street which is much more convenient. Pleasant greetings await you as you are ushered to a table. On both occasions when I have dined here I was able to get a table quite easily, even on a Saturday evening.

The Food

The food options are wide ranging and I wouldn’t be surprised if it took you awhile to narrow down your choices: Here is a selection from the Mains, available from 11am

Interior

The arrangement of the restaurant I thought was very good. There was a lot of natural light from the windows parallel to the streets, with many seats next to them. The open views of the kitchen allow all the customers to see the food being prepared and smell the wonderful Asian flavours.

The food was delicious and very well portioned I thought. In many restaurants there tends to be a lot more on your plate than is probably necessary, maybe that’s just my lack of appetite. In Chi Kitchen, the portions leave you sufficiently full but not to the extent of feeling like you need to walk it off slowly.

I have tried different dishes on my previous visits and I have been more than satisfied each time. If you are ever shopping in Oxford Street and looking for a nice place for lunch or dinner, head to Chi Kitchen. Most likely you’ll be back there again.

Parks

Living in London there is a tendency for people to think that open park areas are few and far between. However, I bet that there is a park near you where you can sit on the grass soak up the sun and have a picnic or have a nice walk around a lake. Crystal Palace Park is only 10-15 minutes walk away from where I live and it is just the sort of place where you can chill with family and friends or go for a lovely run. It has 200 acres of parkland with many things to discover.

Athletics Track

There are many access points to the park, including right next to the train station. Finding the right path to where you want to go can take a bit of guesswork but it’s all part of exploring a park. The Athletics track can be seen in full view at the open ends of the stadium. It opened in 1964 and has more recently held the London Athletics Grand Prix between 1999 – 2012. This was always very popular because it was part the athletics diamond league events where the world’s top athletes would compete. The track and field are on the same site where the FA Cup Final took place between 1895 – 1914.

Dinosaur Park

The most beautiful area of the park is the dinosaur park (this is what I call this area). It is an extremely popular area for families. Next to a lake are 30 statues created by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins around 1854. These statues are the first full-scale models of dinosaurs that were ever made around the world at that time. The feeling of wonder at that time can still be felt now because of how beautiful the area has been restored to. Children can see the statues from a distance and if you look closely ducklings can be seen swimming in the streams next to them.

The paths around the lake and streams led you in different directions where you can see all the statues. Paddle boats are available to use on the big lake. A café is situated near the lake, to stop for a refreshing drink or ice cream after seeing the dinosaur statues.

National Sports Centre

The athletics stadium is towards the centre of the park and so is the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, opposite the stadium. Opened in 1964, this leisure centre has swimming pools, a gym, exercise studios, sports hall and 4 outdoor tennis courts, therefore catering to a wide range of sporting activities.

Sir Joseph Paxton

Walking up to the top of the park is the large open space where the Crystal Palace used to stand. Sir Joseph Paxton built the palace in 1851 for the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park. The park was built to relocate the palace to south London. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the Crystal Palace in 1936. You can still see old parts of the palace, such as The Italian Terraces and sphinxes (which are currently being restored) A bust of Sir Joseph Paxton can be seen near the sports centre as you walk to the top of the park.

Views

Where the Crystal Palace used to stand you can get some amazing views of South London. At the main entrance to the park at the top of Crystal Palace, there is a beautiful flower garden, which is perfect for a quiet lunch or to read a book.

Rest of the Park

Just a minute down from the top of Crystal Palace, along Anerly Hill, is the Crystal Palace museum where you can discover more about the park. It is only open on Sundays 11am-4pm and on the first Sunday of each month, between April and October, a guided tour is available at 12 noon.

A caravan site and tenting is also available in the park for a different experience, plus there is The Maze! So if you are looking for a nice place to go to on a summer weekend (hopefully with sun) then head to Crystal Palace Park, you won’t regret it, especially with the cool bars, cafes and restaurants now available at Crystal Palace.